The Energy News Digest for October 29, 2025

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) will bring breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Southern California Edison Wildfire Fund to Pay Millions, Fast-Track Death Claims (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/sce-wildfire-fund-pay-millions-fast-track-death-claims-2025-10-29/

Red Flag Conditions Prompt Power Shutoffs in Parts of Southern California (Palm Springs Desert Sun, CA)

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/nation/california/2025/10/29/red-flag-conditions-trigger-power-shutoffs-in-parts-of-socal/86965130007/

Kennedy Directs CDC to Study Alleged Harms of Offshore Wind Farms, Bloomberg News Reports (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/rfk-jr-directs-cdc-study-alleged-harms-offshore-wind-farms-bloomberg-news-2025-10-28/

Hurricane Melissa Roars Through Cuba After Thrashing Jamaica, Haiti (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/hurricane-melissa-hits-cuba-hours-after-devastating-jamaica-2025-10-29/

Microsoft Azure, 365 Outage Starting to Ease (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/microsoft-azure-365-outage-starting-173436234.html

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Southern California Edison Wildfire Fund to Pay Millions, Fast-Track Death Claims

2.      Red Flag Conditions Prompt Power Shutoffs in Parts of Southern California

3.      Idaho Develops Process for Utility Companies to Submit Wildfire Mitigation Plans

4.      California: Local Leaders Push for Overdue Oroville Dam Deal to Benefit Community

5.      U.S. Strikes $80 Billion Deal for New Nuclear Power Plants

6.      Residential Electricity Prices Up More Than 6% in August: EIA

7.      Mapped: The Average Cost of Electricity by U.S. State

8.      Why Americans Behind on Utility Bills May Freeze If Fed Government Shutdown Doesn't End Soon

9.      Decades-Old Property Dispute Involving the Bonneville Power Administration Arrives at U.S. Supreme Court

10.   Chinook Landing, LLC v. United States

11.   Kennedy Directs CDC to Study Alleged Harms of Offshore Wind Farms, Bloomberg News Reports

12.   Chugach Electric Advances Alaska’s Largest Solar Project

13.   Breakthrough at Newberry Volcano Could Power 24/7 Clean Energy Future, Company Says

14.   Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishing Season Delayed for All of California

15.   Klamath River Temperatures Changed Dramatically After Dam Removal. That’s Helping Salmon Swim Farther Upstream

16.   Fake Beaver Dams Help Restore Wyoming Wetlands

17.   Almost 40% of Nevada Groundwater Wells Are in Decline, Study Says

18.   Climate Dollars Eyed to Backfill WA Wildfire Funding

19.   Bill Gates Calls for Climate Fight to Shift Focus from Curbing Emissions to Reducing Human Suffering

20.   FCC Votes to Gut Broadband 'Nutrition Labels.' Here’s What It Means for You

21.   In a First, A Data Center Is Using a Big Battery to Get Online Faster

22.   Logistical Challenges Remain for Adoption of Electric Vehicle Trucks, WA Industry Advocates Say

23.   Meta Appeals $35 Million Campaign Finance Fine at WA Supreme Court

24.   Federal Reserve Cuts Key Rate as Government Shutdown Clouds Economic Outlook

25.   Policymakers Plan for ‘Energy Superabundance’ at Western Governors Conference

26.   Montana Public Service Commission Taps New President

27.   Microsoft Azure, 365 Outage Starting to Ease

28.   Hurricane Melissa Roars Through Cuba After Thrashing Jamaica, Haiti

29.   First Wave of Amazon Layoffs Detailed as South Sound Delivery Service Shutters

30.   Remember to “Fall Back” and Change Clocks on Nov. 2nd

31.   Guest Essay: We’re Back in Court for Columbia Basin Salmon’s Survival

32.   Guest Essay: Utahns Deserve Lower Bills, Not Higher Profits for PacifiCorp

33.   Guest Essay: Gas Reliance Will Worsen the Energy Affordability Crisis

Word of the Day

Tenebrous \TEN-uh-bruss\ Adjective – shut off from the light: DARK, MURKY 2: hard to understand: OBSCURE 3: causing gloom.

Brandy was sure her hearing was perfect, since she passed her hearing test with flying colors. “Bat-like perception” was the description from the person administering the test. Therefore, she was at a loss to interpret the tenebrous monosyllabic grunts and gestures being used by the instructor in her afternoon speech class at the Liberian University in Monrovia. “It figures they would hire a caveman for this,” she muttered.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Southern California Edison Wildfire Fund to Pay Millions, Fast-Track Death Claims (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/sce-wildfire-fund-pay-millions-fast-track-death-claims-2025-10-29/

2.      Red Flag Conditions Prompt Power Shutoffs in Parts of Southern California (Palm Springs Desert Sun, CA)

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/nation/california/2025/10/29/red-flag-conditions-trigger-power-shutoffs-in-parts-of-socal/86965130007/

3.      Idaho Develops Process for Utility Companies to Submit Wildfire Mitigation Plans (Idaho Capital Sun)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/idaho-develops-process-utility-companies-100153547.html

4.      California: Local Leaders Push for Overdue Oroville Dam Deal to Benefit Community (KNVN-TV, Chico, CA)

https://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/local-leaders-push-for-overdue-oroville-dam-deal-to-benefit-community/article_060da635-ee8b-4e0a-a6bb-56f64ce1221b.html

5.      U.S. Strikes $80 Billion Deal for New Nuclear Power Plants (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/westinghouse-electric-cameco-corp-brookfield-asset-management-80-bln-nuclear-2025-10-28/

6.      Residential Electricity Prices Up More Than 6% in August: EIA (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/residential-electricity-prices-up-more-than-6-in-august-eia/803849/

7.      Mapped: The Average Cost of Electricity by U.S. State (Visual Capitalist)

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-the-average-cost-of-electricity-by-u-s-state/

8.      Why Americans Behind on Utility Bills May Freeze If Fed Government Shutdown Doesn't End Soon (USA Today)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2025/10/27/government-shutdown-slow-energy-aid/86899388007/

9.      Decades-Old Property Dispute Involving the Bonneville Power Administration Arrives at U.S. Supreme Court (Politico - Paywall Advisory)

https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2025/10/27/decades-old-property-dispute-arrives-at-supreme-court-00620248

10.   Chinook Landing, LLC v. United States (FedCircuitBlog)

https://fedcircuitblog.com/supreme-court/petitions/chinook-landing-llc-v-united-states/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

11.   Kennedy Directs CDC to Study Alleged Harms of Offshore Wind Farms, Bloomberg News Reports (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/rfk-jr-directs-cdc-study-alleged-harms-offshore-wind-farms-bloomberg-news-2025-10-28/

12.   Chugach Electric Advances Alaska’s Largest Solar Project (Must Read Alaska)

https://mustreadalaska.com/chugach-electric-advances-alaskas-largest-solar-project/

13.   Breakthrough at Newberry Volcano Could Power 24/7 Clean Energy Future, Company Says (KBNZ-TV, Bend, OR)

https://www.centraloregondaily.com/news/local/mazama-energy-geothermal-record-newberry-volcano/article_72643d88-83d5-4b33-8646-7e82018803b3.html

Fish & Wildlife

14.   Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishing Season Delayed for All of California (KSBW-TV, Monterey, CA)

https://www.ksbw.com/article/commercial-dungeness-crab-fishing-season-delayed-for-all-of-california/69152350

15.   Klamath River Temperatures Changed Dramatically After Dam Removal. That’s Helping Salmon Swim Farther Upstream (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/10/28/klamath-river-temperatures-dam-removal-salmon-upstream/

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

16.   Fake Beaver Dams Help Restore Wyoming Wetlands (WyoFile)

https://wyofile.com/fake-beaver-dams-help-restore-wyoming-wetlands/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

17.   Almost 40% of Nevada Groundwater Wells Are in Decline, Study Says (Idaho Capital Sun)

https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/10/27/repub/almost-40-of-nevada-groundwater-wells-are-in-decline-study-says/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

18.   Climate Dollars Eyed to Backfill WA Wildfire Funding (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/climate-dollars-eyed-for-wa-wildfire-funding/

19.   Bill Gates Calls for Climate Fight to Shift Focus from Curbing Emissions to Reducing Human Suffering (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/bill-gates-climate-change-united-nations-4108f76e746d1e3e13845f33b8ae7007

London Calling –Telecommunications

20.   FCC Votes to Gut Broadband 'Nutrition Labels.' Here’s What It Means for You (C|Net News)

https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/fcc-votes-to-gut-broadband-nutrition-labels-heres-what-it-means-for-you/

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

21.   In a First, A Data Center Is Using a Big Battery to Get Online Faster (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/batteries/aligned-data-center-get-online-faster

I Sing the Car Electric

22.   Logistical Challenges Remain for Adoption of Electric Vehicle Trucks, WA Industry Advocates Say (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_1824f3dd-e788-41e3-9e76-f11d09673b99.html

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

23.   Meta Appeals $35 Million Campaign Finance Fine at WA Supreme Court (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/10/28/meta-appeals-35m-campaign-finance-fine-at-wa-supreme-court/

Politics, Governance, and Management

24.   Federal Reserve Cuts Key Rate as Government Shutdown Clouds Economic Outlook (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-cut-inflation-jobs-e689e1397856aa24ffebdaaefa9762a2

25.   Policymakers Plan for ‘Energy Superabundance’ at Western Governors Conference (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/10/29/repub/policymakers-plan-for-energy-superabundance-at-western-governors-conference/

26.   Montana Public Service Commission Taps New President (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2025/10/28/public-service-commission-taps-new-president/

Other Things to Know About Today

27.   Microsoft Azure, 365 Outage Starting to Ease (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/microsoft-azure-365-outage-starting-173436234.html

28.   Hurricane Melissa Roars Through Cuba After Thrashing Jamaica, Haiti (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/hurricane-melissa-hits-cuba-hours-after-devastating-jamaica-2025-10-29/

29.   First Wave of Amazon Layoffs Detailed as South Sound Delivery Service Shutters (Tacoma News-Tribune, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/first-wave-amazon-layoffs-detailed-153926492.html

30.   Remember to “Fall Back” and Change Clocks on Nov. 2^nd (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://kpq.com/clock-change-sunday-november-3rd/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

31.   Guest Essay: We’re Back in Court for Columbia Basin Salmon’s Survival (Seattle Times, WA – Via Save Our Wild Salmon)

https://www.wildsalmon.org/news-and-media/opinion/we-are-back-in-court-for-columbia-basin-salmon-s-survival.html

32.   Guest Essay: Utahns Deserve Lower Bills, Not Higher Profits for PacifiCorp (Utah News Dispatch)

https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/10/28/utahns-deserve-lower-bills-not-higher-profits-for-pacificorp/

33.   Guest Essay: Gas Reliance Will Worsen the Energy Affordability Crisis (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/natural-gas-energy-affordability-gridlab/803619/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

More Gummy Bears, Less Chocolate: Halloween Trend Has Been Going for Years

https://www.columbian.com/news/2025/oct/26/more-gummy-bears-less-chocolate-halloween-trend-has-been-going-for-years/

This Alberta Dog Could Safely Drive a Truck & Serve You Beer — At Least on Paper

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-pug-bartender-9.6951462?cmp=rss

A Newly Discovered Dr. Seuss Manuscript Will Celebrate America's 250th Anniversary

https://www.kcra.com/article/dr-seuss-sing-the-50-united-states-new-manuscript/69180734

WWI Soldiers’ Messages in a Bottle Found on Australian Beach More Than 100 Years Later

https://apnews.com/article/australia-letters-bottle-beach-wwi-soldiers-5504498cc456cd920c6a314ae4d4f19c

Song of the Day

The Velvet Underground – Candy Says

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4rbTBKRedE

Links & Paywall Advisory

Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations frequently update their websites, which may result in broken links.

Although I choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regularly clearing your browser’s history and cookie files may help you access some paywall sites.

The Energy News Digest for October 27, 2025

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) will bring breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.

NWPPA Announces Three Back-to-Back Conferences in January 2026

Kick off 2026 with three powerhouse events in one week! NWPPA is bringing together Wildfires: What Utilities Need to Know (Jan. 27), a new Data Center and Load Growth Summit (Jan. 28), and the Power Supply Conference (Jan. 29)—all at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel.

By stacking these events back-to-back, NWPPA is making it easier and more affordable for members to attend. Register for two of the events and receive 10% off, or attend all three and save 20%.

The week will also feature two evening networking receptions, plus lunch included at each event. And for those who want to start early, the Environmental Task Force will meet Jan. 26.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

20,000 Remain without Power in Western Washington After Weekend Storm (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/over-113k-people-remain-without-power-following-overnight-storm-western-washington/VJUOWTEUGNH4LNIQN3H2SVIFP4/

‘Creative or Desperate?’ What’s Driving Proposal for Tri-Cities First Data Center (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/creative-or-desperate-whats-driving-proposal-for-tri-cities-1st-data-center/ar-AA1P73i2

With Most BEAD Proposals In, States Leave Nearly $21 Billion Unclaimed (StateScoop)

https://statescoop.com/with-most-bead-proposals-in-states-leave-nearly-21-billion-unclaimed/

Oregon to Miss Its 2035 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Benchmark by Two Years, Report Says (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/10/24/oregon-greenhouse-gas-reduction-benchmark-environment-data-centers-tighger-2/

New Drought Maps Show Major Shifts in Conditions Across the U.S. (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/weather/new-drought-maps-conditions/507-8661958b-dd6c-4aff-8d6b-2b6e251a0e88

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      20,000 Remain without Power in Western Washington After Weekend Storm

2.      Oregon: A 300-Mile Power Line Was Supposed to Serve the Public. Now It May Serve a Data Center

3.      Transmission Upgrades, Priest Rapids Repairs on 2026 Grant County PUD Project List

4.      BC Hydro’s $6-Billion ‘Nation-Building’ Power Line Expedited for Economic Growth

5.      The Grid Tipping Point: PNW Faces Rolling Blackouts by 2026 as Energy Gap Widens

6.      Nevada: NV Energy Peak Demand Charge, Tweak to Net Metering, Violate State Law, Say Experts

7.      Politicized Nuclear Energy Debate Leaves Residents Conflicted, Starving for Credible Answers

8.      U.S. Hydropower Generation Expected to Increase 7.5% in 2025 After 2024 Decline

9.      The Complicated Reality Behind Rising Power Prices

10.   South Carolina’s State Utility Says Private Firm Set to Restart Abandoned $9 Billion Nuclear Project

11.   Trump Tennessee Valley Authority Nominees Each Say ‘No’ to Privatizing Federal Utility

12.   In ‘Unusual’ Move, DOE Proposes Rule to Expand FERC’s Authority Over Large Loads

13.   Utility Executives Questioned by FERC Share Concerns About Affordability, But Disagree About Potential Solutions

14.   At This ‘Tree Rodeo,’ Utility Arborists Compete Getting Trees Off of Power Lines

15.   California Can’t Get Out of Its Own Way on Geothermal

16.   $1.3 Million to Remove Toxic Fluorescent Lights in Washington State Schools Left on the Table

17.   Judge Says No to Fish Poison in Montana Wilderness

18.   Young ‘Salmon Warriors’ Restore Okanagan Creeks as Sockeye Return for the First Time in a Century

19.   New Drought Maps Show Major Shifts in Conditions Across the U.S.

20.   Oregon to Miss Its 2035 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Benchmark by Two Years, Report Says

21.   Exxon Sues California Over New Laws Requiring Corporate Climate Disclosures

22.   Climate Disasters in First Half of 2025 Costliest Ever on Record, Research Shows

23.   With Most BEAD Proposals In, States Leave Nearly $21 Billion Unclaimed

24.   ‘Creative or Desperate?’ What’s Driving Proposal for Tri-Cities First Data Center

25.   Artificial Intelligence’s Energy Demand Drives Up Electricity Cost in Teton County, Nationwide

26.   What Americans Think About the Environmental Impact of Artificial Intelligence, According to a New Poll

27.   Bitcoin ‘Just Doesn’t Cut It Anymore’: Miners’ Pivot to Artificial Intelligence Sends Stocks Soaring

28.   Electric Vehicle Charging Missing the Mark for Convenience Stores, Industry Execs Say

29.   Judge Blocks Trump Cuts to WA Climate Resilience Money

30.   The Bonneville Power Administration Refines Organizational Structure

31.   Trump Taps Swett to Lead FERC

32.   Guest Essay: Snake River Dams – Govs. Ferguson, Kotek Must Focus on Solutions, Not Uncorking More Litigation

33.   Editorial: Richland Must Protect Itself in Atlas Agro’s Data Center Proposal

34.   Guest Essay: States Have a Responsibility to Set New Guidelines for the Colorado River

Word of the Day

Pungle \PUNG-gull\ Verb - To make a payment or contribution of money; usually used with up.

“Never bet a million bucks on politics and coin flips,” announced the gold-toothed bookie to his humbled pigeon. “Now’s the time to pungle up, my friend,” he said sarcastically.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      20,000 Remain without Power in Western Washington After Weekend Storm (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/over-113k-people-remain-without-power-following-overnight-storm-western-washington/VJUOWTEUGNH4LNIQN3H2SVIFP4/

2.      Oregon: A 300-Mile Power Line Was Supposed to Serve the Public. Now It May Serve a Data Center (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2025/10/a-300-mile-power-line-was-supposed-to-serve-the-public-now-it-may-serve-a-data-center.html

3.      Transmission Upgrades, Priest Rapids Repairs on 2026 Grant County PUD Project List (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2025/oct/22/transmission-upgrades-priest-rapids-repairs-on-2026-grant-county-pud-project-list/

4.      BC Hydro’s $6-Billion ‘Nation-Building’ Power Line Expedited for Economic Growth (Daily Hive)

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-coast-transmission-line-nctl-bc-hydro-expedited-construction

5.      The Grid Tipping Point: PNW Faces Rolling Blackouts by 2026 as Energy Gap Widens (KTTH Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://seattlered.com/energy/4114834/4114834

6.      Nevada: NV Energy Peak Demand Charge, Tweak to Net Metering, Violate State Law, Say Experts (Nevada Current)

https://nevadacurrent.com/2025/10/22/nv-energy-peak-demand-charge-tweak-to-net-metering-violate-state-law-say-experts/

7.      Politicized Nuclear Energy Debate Leaves Residents Conflicted, Starving for Credible Answers (Wyofile)

https://wyofile.com/politicized-nuclear-energy-debate-leaves-residents-conflicted-starving-for-credible-answers/

8.      U.S. Hydropower Generation Expected to Increase 7.5% in 2025 After 2024 Decline (Index Box)

https://www.indexbox.io/blog/us-hydropower-generation-expected-to-increase-75-in-2025-after-2024-decline/

9.      The Complicated Reality Behind Rising Power Prices (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/utilities/rising-power-prices-reality

10.   South Carolina’s State Utility Says Private Firm Set to Restart Abandoned $9 Billion Nuclear Project (Associated Press)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/south-carolinas-state-utility-says-175831391.html

11.   Trump Tennessee Valley Authority Nominees Each Say ‘No’ to Privatizing Federal Utility (Energy Central)

https://www.energycentral.com/energy-biz/post/news-trump-tva-nominees-each-say-no-to-privatizing-federal-utility-wiaHLf0jmWsyskI

12.   In ‘Unusual’ Move, DOE Proposes Rule to Expand FERC’s Authority Over Large Loads (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/in-unusual-move-doe-proposes-rule-to-expand-fercs-authority-over-large/803717/

13.   Utility Executives Questioned by FERC Share Concerns About Affordability, But Disagree About Potential Solutions (Utility Dive)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/featured/50055-utility-executives-questioned-by-ferc-share-concerns-about-affordability-but-disagree-about-potential-solutions/

14.   At This ‘Tree Rodeo,’ Utility Arborists Compete Getting Trees Off of Power Lines (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2025/10/22/nx-s1-5565074/at-this-tree-rodeo-utility-arborists-compete-getting-trees-off-of-power-lines

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

15.   California Can’t Get Out of Its Own Way on Geothermal (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/geothermal/california-newsom-veto-bill-environmental-reviews

Conservation & Efficiency

16.   $1.3 Million to Remove Toxic Fluorescent Lights in Washington State Schools Left on the Table (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://chronline.com/stories/13m-to-remove-toxic-fluorescent-lights-in-washington-state-schools-left-on-the-table,389721

Fish & Wildlife

17.   Judge Says No to Fish Poison in Montana Wilderness (Courthouse News Service)

https://courthousenews.com/judge-says-no-to-fish-poison-in-montana-wilderness/

18.   Young ‘Salmon Warriors’ Restore Okanagan Creeks as Sockeye Return for the First Time in a Century (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/okanagan-lake-salmon-warriors-restoration-sockeye-9.6953426

Water, Water, Anywhere?

19.   New Drought Maps Show Major Shifts in Conditions Across the U.S. (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/weather/new-drought-maps-conditions/507-8661958b-dd6c-4aff-8d6b-2b6e251a0e88

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

20.   Oregon to Miss Its 2035 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Benchmark by Two Years, Report Says (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/10/24/oregon-greenhouse-gas-reduction-benchmark-environment-data-centers-tighger-2/

21.   Exxon Sues California Over New Laws Requiring Corporate Climate Disclosures (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/exxon-sues-california-over-laws-000712491.html

22.   Climate Disasters in First Half of 2025 Costliest Ever on Record, Research Shows (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/22/climate-disasters-2025-cost

London Calling –Telecommunications

23.   With Most BEAD Proposals In, States Leave Nearly $21 Billion Unclaimed (StateScoop)

https://statescoop.com/with-most-bead-proposals-in-states-leave-nearly-21-billion-unclaimed/

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

24.   ‘Creative or Desperate?’ What’s Driving Proposal for Tri-Cities First Data Center (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/creative-or-desperate-whats-driving-proposal-for-tri-cities-1st-data-center/ar-AA1P73i2

25.   Artificial Intelligence’s Energy Demand Drives Up Electricity Cost in Teton County, Nationwide (KHOL Radio, Jackson, Wyoming)

https://891khol.org/ais-energy-demand-drives-up-electricity-cost-in-teton-county-nationwide/

26.   What Americans Think About the Environmental Impact of Artificial Intelligence, According to a New Poll (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-data-centers-poll-climate-change-c9f95aa014254ef454b763ccfb32de39

27.   Bitcoin ‘Just Doesn’t Cut It Anymore’: Miners’ Pivot to Artificial Intelligence Sends Stocks Soaring (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bitcoin-just-doesnt-cut-it-anymore-miners-pivot-to-ai-sends-stocks-soaring-150018229.html

I Sing the Car Electric

28.   Electric Vehicle Charging Missing the Mark for Convenience Stores, Industry Execs Say (Utility Dive)

https://www.cstoredive.com/news/ev-charging-not-quite-there-c-stores/802668/

Politics, Governance, and Management

29.   Judge Blocks Trump Cuts to WA Climate Resilience Money (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/oct/23/judge-blocks-trump-cuts-to-wa-climate-resilience-m/

30.   The Bonneville Power Administration Refines Organizational Structure (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20251021-bpa-refines-organizational-structure

31.   Trump Taps Swett to Lead FERC (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/trump-taps-swett-to-lead-ferc/803735/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

32.   Guest Essay: Snake River Dams – Govs. Ferguson, Kotek Must Focus on Solutions, Not Uncorking More Litigation (Star of the Grand Coulee, WA)

https://www.grandcoulee.com/story/2025/10/22/opinion/ferguson-kotek-must-focus-on-solutions-not-uncorking-more-litigation/18794.html

33.   Editorial: Richland Must Protect Itself in Atlas Agro’s Data Center Proposal (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/richland-must-protect-itself-atlas-120000567.html

34.   Guest Essay: States Have a Responsibility to Set New Guidelines for the Colorado River (Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV)

https://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/commentary-the-water-conundrum-3509903/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Suspects Arrested Over the Theft of Crown Jewels from Paris’ Louvre Museum

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/suspects-arrested-over-the-theft-of-crown-jewels-from-paris-louvre-museum/ar-AA1PcNGj

Cool Critters: The Whip-Smart Raven Does a Lot More Than Just Quoth, ‘Nevermore’

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/oct/26/cool-critters-the-whip-smart-raven-does-a-lot-more/

Scientists Make Yogurt Using Ants. The Result: Tangy And Herby

https://www.npr.org/2025/10/22/nx-s1-5567090/scientists-make-yogurt-using-ants-the-result-tangy-and-herby

Picasso portrait of muse Dora Maar, long hidden from view, sells for $37 million

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/10/25/picasso-portrait-of-muse-dora-maar-auctioned-for-dollar37-million/

Song of the Day

Le Festin- Camille (Ratatouille Soundtrack)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_hdmt4vpBo

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